Improvement in buttons



HPBOUHET IMPROVED BUTTON.

PATENTED DEC 3 I867 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

H. PROUHET, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IM PROVEMENT IN BUTTONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 71,641, dated December 3, 1867.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. PRoUHE'r, of St.

I Louis, in they county of St. Louis-and State of Missouri, have made certain new and use ful Improvements in Buttons for Wearing Apparel, Harness, and other Purposes; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of this invention is to construct a button or stud in such a manner that it can be inserted into a hole in a textile fabric much smaller than its own dimensions, diametrically measured, and also in such a manner that when once in its hole it can be securely locked therein by a peculiar device adapted to that purpose, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improved button, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

'Figure l of the drawings is an elevation, in perspective, of the improved button. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the locking-plate.

The button or stud consists of two disks, A A, connected together either by a link or by the post a, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The outside disk A may, of course, be made either cheaply or elaborately, as is customary with articles of this kind. In the bottom disk A a recess, a, is made in one side, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 1. This recess is made for the purpose of entering the disk into a hole much smaller than could be entered did the entire diameter of the disk have to pass through the opening. The disk can be most readily entered by placing one of the salient corners next the recess a first in the hole, and then turning it around with a screwing motion until the whole disk shall have enter d. The liability of the disk to work out after it is once in position is very remote, as the piece must be turned around until the recess comes just to the hole in the fabric, and then it must be tipped up a little, so as to allow the corner before mentioned to enter the hole first, as on entering.

In case, however, that such a contingency should occur, the exterior surface of the disk A is provided with a locking-plate, W. This piece is the same in contour as the disk A, has the same-shapedrecess a, and is pivoted to the disk by a central pivot, 00. A thumb-piece, m is provided in the surface of the plate M, for the purpose of affording means to turn it around about its axis. A pin, 00 fixed in the disk A, is extended up through a segmental slot in the locking-plate, and affords an abutment against which to turn the locking-plate in either direction. The length of the aforesaid slot should be such and its position such that when the locking-plate is turned in one direction the recess in it will cover the recess of the disk A, and thus afford the desired means of entrance. When the disk shall have been fully inserted in its position in the fabric, the locking-plate is to be turned around on its axis, by pressing against the thumb-piece :0 until the said locking-plate completely covers the recess a of the disk A, and then it will be utterly impossible for the disk to repass the hole until the locking-plate shall have again been turned so as to uncover the recess a. For ordinary purposes the locking-plate need not be used but if the button is a very valuable one it would be prudent to use it.

This button is equally applicable to fine shirt-studs and to buckles for leather or harness, or for any similar purpose. The buttons constructed as above described will be admirably adapted to soldiers coats, or other similar wear, where it is required to clean the buttons without soiling the garment to which they are attached.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The disk A and the locking-plate a when combined and arranged substantially as described and set forth.

H. rnounnr.

Witnesses:

M. RANDOLPH, Gno. P. HERTHEL, Jr. 

